Israel must fight harder to keep its doctors in the country – editorial

Israel is experiencing a significant exodus of doctors, with 1,370 leaving between 2023 and 2025, a 94% increase from a decade prior, resulting in a net loss of 509 doctors in 2023-2024. The Jerusalem Post editorial emphasizes a two-pronged strategy to address this: retaining existing doctors by improving working conditions and actively recruiting Jewish doctors globally to make aliyah. The government should investigate the reasons for doctors leaving and offer competitive conditions, professional advancement, and adequate staffing. Simultaneously, Israel must expand and accelerate programs like the International Medical Aliyah Program, aiming to bring 2,000 physicians by 2029, by streamlining licensing, offering Hebrew language programs, and providing support for relocation and job placement, especially in underserved areas. This recruitment effort, drawing parallels to past successful waves of immigration, is seen as vital for national planning, not just filling labor shortages, but must not overshadow the need to address the root causes of Israeli doctors departing.